If You’re Getting a COVID-19 Test – page 1

What you Need Home Isolation Steps – page 2

to Know
Home Quarantine Steps – page 2

Steps for Both Isolation & Quarantine– page 3

If You’re Getting a COVID-19 Test

• A swab (like a Q-Tip) goes into your mouth or nose
• The test checks for COVID-19 virus in your body right now
• Results are reported to the Department of Public Health, so that health staff can help identify infections
and keep them from spreading. Health staff are trained to keep your personal information private

WHILE WAITING FOR TEST RESULTS

• If you have COVID-19 symptoms follow Home Isolation Steps (page 2)
• If you do not have COVID-19 symptoms, but you have recently had close contact with a person who has
COVID-19 follow Home Quarantine Steps (page 2)
• If no COVID-19 symptoms or close contacts  stay safe, wait for test results.

WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR TEST RESULTS

Positive Results (virus detected). A “positive” viral test means you had COVID-19 infection on the day you
were tested. Follow Home Isolation Steps (page 2)
Negative Results (virus not detected). A “negative” viral test means you probably do not have COVID-19
infection right now. This is a little tricky, so read carefully:
● If you have had no COVID-19 symptoms or close contacts, then you do not have COVID-19. Done!
● If you have had no COVID-19 symptoms but you did have recent close contact with a person who has
COVID-19, then continue to follow Home Quarantine Steps (page 2).
● If you had COVID-19 symptoms, the negative test result could be wrong -- you still might have COVID-19.
This is because the test is excellent but not perfect.
○ At a minimum, follow Home Isolation Steps until you feel better, with at least 1 day with no fever
○ Or, ask your healthcare provider when you should stop following the Home Isolation Steps
○ Or, if you are in close contact with a “vulnerable” person, you might want to keep following Home
Isolation Steps until at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first started

COVID-19 symptoms: fever at least 100.4°F, chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sore throat, muscle
aches, headache, feeling unusually weak or tired, diarrhea, congested or runny nose, or losing the sense of smell or taste.
Close Contact means people in your home, your sex partners, and people who take care of you or who you take care of.
Also considered close contacts are people who stayed within 6 feet of you for more than 15 minutes, or who had direct
contact with your body fluids or secretions while they were not wearing a facemask, gown, and gloves.
Vulnerable means age 50 years or more, or has medical conditions such as heart, lung, or kidney disease, diabetes,
obesity, cancer, sickle cell, or a weakened immune system. See more at www.sfcdcp.org/vulnerable

Page 1 of 3 (ver. 08.07.2020)

 Home Isolation and Quarantine Guidelines
for People with COVID-19 Infection and their Household or Close Contacts
Follow Home Isolation Steps if you have:
• Positive test for COVID-19 viral infection, or
• Healthcare provider diagnosis of COVID-19, or
• COVID-19 symptoms and you had close contact with someone who
has COVID-19, or
• COVID-19 symptoms and you are waiting for test results
Reference: Health Officer Isolation Directive
Home Isolation Steps
Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness. Persons of any age can
become seriously ill, but the risk is higher for those age 50 years or older
or who have medical conditions such as heart, lung, or kidney disease,
diabetes, obesity, cancer, sickle cell, or a weakened immune system.
Follow steps on page 3, plus:
Stay home for at least 10 days
• You can end your isolation after at least 10 days since your
symptoms began, and your fever is gone for the past 24 hours
without taking fever-reducing medicine like acetaminophen
(Tylenol®) and your other symptoms have improved. If you had a
positive COVID-19 test but never had symptoms, stay home for at
least 10 days after the day you were tested.
• If you have severe immune system weakness you may need to stay
in isolation longer. Please discuss with your healthcare provider.
• You do not need, and should not get, a second COVID-19
test in order to end your Isolation. Just follow the
instructions in the bullets above.
Close Contacts
• See definition of Close Contact, page 1
• If you had a positive COVID-19 viral test or a healthcare provider's
diagnosis of COVID-19, then everyone who you had close contact
with from 48 hours before your symptoms began (if you never had
symptoms, then from 48 hours before your test) until you self-
isolated, should follow the Home Quarantine Steps. Please share
this document with them. For help in notifying your Close Contacts
without revealing your identity to them, please call 628-217-6102.
What if you can’t separate yourself from others?
• Anyone who continues to be in close contact with you will need to
begin a new quarantine cycle of 14 full days after the last day that
person had close contact with you, or from the date that your
isolation ends.
• Persons unable to care for themselves must stay home but don’t
have to isolate from their caregiver.
*Essential COVID-19 Response Workers are healthcare workers, laboratory personnel handling COVID-19 specimens, morgue workers, first
responders, law enforcement, sanitation workers, 911 and 311 operators, emergency management personnel, individuals assigned to work as
Disaster Service Workers, and individuals who work in long-term care facilities or homeless shelters.
Page 2 of 3
Follow Home Quarantine Steps if:
• You live in a household with, or had close
contact with, someone who has COVID-19
 see definition of Close Contact, page 1
Reference: Health Officer Quarantine Directive
Home Quarantine Steps
It can take up to 14 days to develop symptoms if you
become infected with COVID-19.
Follow steps on page 3, plus:
Stay home to see if you develop symptoms
● You must stay in home quarantine for at least 14
full days after you were last in close contact with
the person with COVID-19.
● If you cannot avoid having close contact with the
person with COVID-19 while they are sick (for
example, you are their caregiver), you must stay
in quarantine for 14 full days after the day that
person completed their self-isolation. (This is likely
to be at least 24 total days of home quarantine.)
What if you develop symptoms?
● COVID-19 symptoms include fever, chills, cough,
shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, or
muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, or losing the sense of smell or taste.
● If you develop any of the above symptoms, and
they are new symptoms that you don’t usually
have in daily life, then you may have COVID-19
and you must follow the Home Isolation Steps.
● Monitor your symptoms closely and seek medical
advice or medical care if symptoms worsen,
especially if you are at a higher risk of serious
illness.
● Get COVID-19 diagnostic testing to confirm that
you have it. Call your healthcare provider or
contact 3-1-1 about testing locations.
Which groups do not have to quarantine?
• Essential COVID-19 Response Workers*
(check employer’s policy; try to follow Home
Quarantine Steps while not at work)
(ver. 08.07.2020)
 Steps for BOTH Home Isolation and Home Quarantine

● Stay home except to seek medical care. Do not go to work,
school, or public areas. Do not use public transportation, ride
shares or taxis
● Separate yourself from others in your home, especially
people with higher risk of serious illness. Stay in a specific
room and away from other people as much as possible. Use a
separate bathroom, if available
● Do not allow visitors into your home, and do not prepare or
serve food to others
● Limit your contact with pets
● If you cannot meet the requirements for Isolation or
Quarantine where you currently live, contact 3-1-1 to
request help with housing, food, or other needs
● If your employer requests a letter or a negative
test to return to work, you can direct them to
https://www.sfcdcp.org/workletter
● If you have other concerns related to the impact
of isolation and quarantine on your work, visit
https://www.sfcdcp.org/workerFAQ

Prevent the spread:

• Wear a face covering or mask if you are in the same room with others. Others should wear a face covering or mask if they
share or enter the room with you.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sneeze into your sleeve -- not into your hands --
then throw away the tissue into a lined trashcan and immediately wash hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water - especially after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose, or after going to the
bathroom. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer with a minimum content of 60% alcohol can be used instead of soap and water if the
hands are not visibly dirty.
• Do not share household items such as dishes, cups, utensils, towels, bedding with other people. After using these items,
wash them thoroughly with soap and water. Laundry may be washed in a standard washing machine with warm water and
detergent; bleach may be added but is not necessary.
• Clean and disinfect all “high-touch” surfaces every day (including counters, tabletops, doorknobs, faucets, toilets, phones, tv
remotes, keys, keyboards), and especially any surfaces that may have body fluids on them. Use household cleaning and
disinfectant sprays or wipes, according to the product label instructions. More info: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cleaning-disinfection.html

Practice home care:

● Rest and drink plenty of fluids. You may take acetaminophen ( Tylenol®) to reduce fever and pain.
o Do not give children younger than age 2 years any medications without first checking with a healthcare provider.
o Note that medicines do not “cure” COVID-19 and do not stop you from spreading the virus.
● Seek medical care if your symptoms get worse, especially if you are at a higher risk of serious illness.
● Symptoms that indicate you should seek medical care include:

● If possible, call ahead before going to your healthcare provider's office or hospital and tell them you are in Isolation
for COVID-19 to prepare health care pers onnel for your arrival and protect other s from getting infected.
o Do not wait in any waiting rooms; wear a face covering or mask at all times if possible.
o Do not use public transportation.
o If you call 911, first notify the dispatch and paramedics that you are under isolation for COVID-19.
For more information, or to get these guidelines in another language, visit http://www.sfcdcp.org/I&Q or call 3-1-1.

Thank you for your cooperation in this important public health matter

Page 3 of 3 (ver. 08.07.2020)